However, it took nearly three weeks for the vessel to safely navigate the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran began allowing ships to pass through selectively.
Chief Officer Sohan Lal reported that the ship’s 27 Indian crew members witnessed missiles and drones overhead daily while they waited. In a video obtained by Reuters, a minimum of five projectiles can be observed streaking through the night sky above the vessel.
Lal mentioned that Indian officials had instructed the crew to be ready to depart around March 11. However, as the conflict intensified, it wasn’t until March 23 that the ship was granted clearance, but not via the usual shipping lanes through Hormuz.
Instead, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps directed the tanker to navigate a narrow channel north of Larak Island off the Iranian coast. Lal explained that both Indian authorities and the ship’s owner, Mumbai-based Seven Islands Shipping, would only proceed if every crew member agreed to the journey.
“They required a yes or a no from the entire crew,” he stated. “Everyone on board consented.” Lal added that the Larak route, which is not commonly utilized by shipping, was suggested by the IRGC due to the routine passage through Hormuz being mined.
He further stated that the Indian Navy guided the ship during the transit before four Indian warships escorted it for approximately 20 hours from the Gulf of Oman to the Arabian Sea. Lal noted that no fee was paid for the transit and the IRGC did not board the vessel at any point.
The Indian Navy confirmed its role in escorting Indian-flagged ships after they crossed the strait. The foreign ministry mentioned this month that the Indian Navy has been active in the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea for years to ensure the safety of sea lanes for Indian vessels and others.
LPG CRUNCH IN INDIA
India is significantly dependent on seaborne imports of liquefied petroleum gas, with hundreds of millions of households relying on it for cooking.
The Pine Gas, which was carrying 45,000 metric tons of LPG, was initially slated to unload at the west coast port of Mangalore, but Indian authorities redirected it to discharge equal amounts at the eastern ports of Visakhapatnam and Haldia.
Iran has stated that it has allowed “friendly nations,” including China, Russia, India, Iraq, and Pakistan, to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
While six Indian vessels have exited the Strait, 18 Indian-flagged ships carrying about 485 Indian seafarers remain in the Persian Gulf.
